An Unkindness of Ravens
by tjmack
Summary: Peyton reads Lucas's book, while waiting for him to wake up
1. Chapter 1

An Unkindness of Ravens

Summary: Peyton reads Lucas's book, while waiting for him to wake up.

* * *

_**My Name is Lucas Scott, I'm a senior at Tree Hill High School. Tree Hill is just a place somewhere in the world, maybe it's a lot like your world, maybe it's nothing like it. But, if you look closer, you might see someone like you. Someone trying to find their way, someone trying to find their place, someone trying to find their self. Sometimes it's easy to feel like you're the only one in the world who's struggling, who's frustrated, or unsatisfied at barely getting by. But, that feeling is a lie and if you just hold on; just find the courage to face it all for another day, someone or something will find the way and make it all okay. Because we all need a little help sometimes, someone to help us hear the music in the world. To remind us that it won't always be this way. That someone is out there, and that someone will find you. **_

_**I have a best friend that I couldn't live life without. Haley James Scott is one of the best people I know. She's a great friend, a terrific wife, and she's going to be a wonderful mother. We've been the best of friends since she sat down next to me on the playground, claiming that I looked sad to her. I'd like to say that as great a person she is, that life has been good to her. While it hasn't been the hardest on her, it hasn't been easy either. But, life has always had a way of finding the great ones, and trying to break them. Thank god Haley doesn't break easily. **_

_**I also have a brother, that while we have our differences and our share of arguments, we get along fairly well. At least we do considering that just last year we hated each other with a passion. I guess that's something we can thank our father for. Nathan Scott is a good guy. He has a good heart, and he means well, but even the greatest of people have faults and make mistakes. Nathan Scott is no different. I have been a little harder on him than I guess I should have been this year. I myself have made my fair share of mistakes, and while I would love to change some of them, I wouldn't trade them, just because I have grown from them. **_

* * *

Peyton sat in the uncomfortable chair, her knees pulled up to her chest, as she flipped the page, and continued to read. The steady beeps of the machines keeping her mind in place, as she swiped at a tear that formed in the corner of her eye.

She had only been in Los Angeles for a couple of months when she got the call. Well, technically Brooke got the call, but they were still close, and Brooke knew that Peyton should know. Peyton closed her eyes lightly, drifting back a few days earlier.

* * *

_Peyton swifted through her overly full handbag, before pulling out triumphantly her cell phone. She glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Brooke. While a part of her was hoping it was Lucas, she was happy it was Brooke. She hadn't talked to Brooke in a few days and missed her best friend badly. _

"_Hello," Peyton greeted, rather cheerfully. _

"_Hey...look theres something that I need to tell you..." Brooke trailed off, tears cascading down her face._

"_Brooke, what is it?" Peyton asked, hearing the small sniffles that Brooke was trying to hide._

"_It's Lucas," Brooke knew that was all she needed to say and Peyton would be on the first flight out._

"_What about him?" Peyton asked, her voice slowly getting louder and louder, as the pure fear that something horrible had happened to Lucas._

"_I don't know the exact details, but...Karen called me, he's in the hospital...it's bad Peyton," Brooke said, knowing that would get her attention. _

"_I'm going to catch the first flight out," Peyton said, before hanging up the phone._

* * *

Peyton shifted slightly in her seat, her eyes falling upon the still figure lying in the hospital bed in front of her. Tears falling down her face, as she gripped one of his hands in hers.

"Lucas, I don't know if you can hear me...but please wake up. I can't take not knowing any longer..." her sentence trailing off, as she laid her head on the bed, just needing to feel close to him.

She heard the door squeak open, her head lifting only slightly from the bed, her eyes coming in contact with Brooke's.

"How is he?" Brooke asked, looking slightly uncomfortable in the doorway.

"Not good..." Peyton sighed before continuing. "He was out driving, he didn't know that the roads had gotten slick out. Apparently it had rained all day long, and Lucas didn't know that the temperature had dropped that much. He tried to slow down to make the curve, but it only made it worse. His car flipped twice, before landing on it's roof. They had to cut him out...the doctor said that it's a high possibility that he could be in a coma."

"Oh god," Brooke looked on in horror.

Both of Lucas's legs and one of his arms were in a cast. His head had thick white gauze bandage over it, with a rather large spot that was soaked with blood. His chest was the same way, thick gauze bandage wrapped around it, although it wasn't blood soaked, Brooke could only imagine why it was bandaged up. She wasn't sure how Peyton had handled looking at him, when the sight in front of her was making her stomach churn.

"Brooke...I can't lose him, my heart can't take it," Peyton said, tears apparent in her eyes again, as Brooke threw her arms around Peyton hugging her close.

"Don't worry, Lucas is tough, he'll pull through," Brooke said with more confidence than she felt. '_At least I hope he does' _she told herself, trying to hold back tears of her own.


	2. Chapter 2

**I wanna start off by saying that I've had half of this chapter written for nearly two weeks...and I've had some personal stuff to deal with...and then for the past week I've been battling the flu...and well..finally today I had the inspiration, and the ablity to sit and write...so I give you chapter two..and I promise, unless i get worse again...another chapter should be coming soon.**

Chapter Two

_**Brooke Davis is a good friend. She's courageous, and I truly believe that great things will happen for her. While I thought for the longest time that I was in love her, I found out that while I do love her, that I'm not in love with her. Brooke Davis is going to change the world someday, and I don't think she knows it, but I do. She's got an amazing heart, and a great head on her shoulders. That alone will take her places, but Brooke Davis is going to do something great, I can feel it.**_

_**Peyton Sawyer is a great friend, one of my best friends. Life hasn't been the greatest to her, but while life has tried it's hardest to keep her down, she has found a way to fight back. Sometimes she was able to fight alone, while other times she needed some help. I love being the guy that's there for her, she needs someone stable in her life. Peyton Sawyer is destined for greatness. Actually she's already great, because Peyton Sawyer has a thing called integrity, and nothing and no one is going to change that. She has changed my life in so many ways, and I don't think she knows that. I think a part of my heart will always belong to Peyton Sawyer. **_

_**Marvin McFadden is one of my oldest friends. He is one of the best guys I know. He has a big heart, and is willing to do anything for the people he loves and cares about, and that...that is hard to find. He might lose his way once in a while, but it doesn't take long for him to get back on track. Marvin McFadden has great things in front of him, I just wish he'd see that.**_

Peyton peered around her hotel room, she wrapped her arms tightly around her body, a cold chill running the length of her spine. She hadn't wanted to leave the hospital, but had promised to give Karen sometime alone with her son.

She sat down on the edge of the small twin size bed. She just wanted to feel like everything was going to be alright, but the one person that made her feel that way was laying unconscious in a hospital bed. Peyton nearly jumped out of her skin, when her cellphone made the very quiet hotel room, not so quiet anymore. She slowly reached forward and peered at the screen that read '_Brooke'_. Peyton sighed lightly, it wasn't that she didn't want to talk to Brooke, it was more that she felt she needed to be alone. That she needed to find some peace, some solace in herself. So she could be strong for Lucas, so she could stand to be in the same room as him, and not feel like someone had ripped out her heart.

After the third ring, and just before her voice mail picked up the call, she flipped her phone open, and accepted the call.

"Hi Brooke," Peyton answered, her voice without emotion.

"Hey, look I'm pulling up at the hotel...so if you could open the door and let me in, that'd be great," Brooke said, shivering slightly, she hadn't remembered the middle of October being so cold before.

"Okay," Peyton said, before snapping her phone closed.

Like a mindless zombie, Peyton stood from the bed, and walked slowly toward the door. She wasn't really in the mood for company. In fact, all she really wanted was the her phone to ring, and it to be Karen, telling her that Lucas was awake. All she really wanted was to see his soulful blue eyes, see that gorgeous smile. Feel his warm arms wrap around her, pulling her close. To feel his lips graze against her lips. She just wanted Lucas back.

"Peyton, did you sleep at all?" Brooke asked, looking her pitiful looking friend over.

"No, I can't sleep. He haunts my dreams. Every time I close my eyes, I see his face. It hurts Brooke, to be so close to him, but to not feel him. It really hurts," Peyton said, her eyes moistening as the words flowed from her mouth.

Brooke had never seen her best friend so upset over a guy before. Yeah, she had been upset when Jake left, both times, but never like this. Brooke finally realized, really realized that her best friend was hopelessly in love with Lucas Scott. It hurt her to see Peyton so broken up, to see her unable to do anything but sit there and daydream about better days. Silently she asked herself why these things always had to happen to Peyton. Why every time she got close to someone they would be so cruelly taken from her.

Her mother, Ellie...she hadn't spoken to her father in a good year. Besides herself, Lucas was the only real stable thing in her life. Now, she was so close to losing him, and she felt that this would be the one thing to send her over the edge. She had seen her friend do some pretty stupid things in the past, but if she lost Lucas...it would be a whole different story.

Brooke put her arm around Peyton, trying to show her that she's not alone in this. That she would be there for her, until Lucas made a full recovery.

"I mean it Brooke, I can't lose him," Peyton tried to sniff away the new batch of tears away.

Brooke felt tears of her own creeping up to the corner of her eyes. She blinked them away, she had to be strong for Peyton.

"Look at me," Brooke pleaded with Peyton.

Peyton looked at Brooke, her green pained eyes filled with tears, as her body shook slightly.

"You cannot give up on him. He came back once, you just...you have to let him know you are there. You have to let him know that you love him, and your not leaving. He will not leave you, not on purpose. You have got to keep faith that he will come back to you," Brooke pleaded with Peyton, she couldn't let her friend give up on the love of her life, not without a fight.

"Your right Brooke," Peyton flashed a small smile, before it disappeared.

She couldn't smile, not yet, not while Lucas's fate was still very much up in the air. Peyton pulled back from Brooke's embrace, just as her phone started to ring, hopefully it was Karen, with good news.

**Meanwhile back at Tree Hill Hospital**

Karen sat beside Lucas's bed. Her hands folded in front of her. She wanted to reach out, to grab his hand. To tell him that he had to wake up. Not just for her, but for Peyton. She cared about Peyton so much, especially since Peyton reminds her of, herself when she was Peyton's age. So full of determination, to get what she wants, and to keep what she has. She knew that Peyton wasn't having an easy time dealing with Lucas's current condition. Not that Karen was doing the best with it, but she felt the need to be strong for Peyton. Which is why she had asked Peyton to please give her a little alone time with Lucas. She really needed to let her emotions out, she needed to tell Lucas to wake up, to please just make it through this.

She leaned forward, taking one of his hands in hers. She let her free hand roam to his hair, smoothing it back slightly.

"Lucas, I don't know if you can hear me. I really hope that you can, because quite frankly, I need you to wake up, to be okay. I can't lose my little boy, and Lily can't lose her big brother. Please Lucas, just open your eyes, say something..." Karen's voice trailed off, as small sobs escaped her lips.

She had almost lost her son two other times, and she wasn't bound to lose him this time. She wouldn't let him give up, not when he had so much in his life to live for. She knew what she had to do to fix her son.

**Back in the hotel room**

Peyton clutched the phone in her hand. It had been Karen, but it wasn't the news she had been hoping for. She slowly hung her head, not sure that she was ready to go back to the hospital, and look at Lucas's sullen face, his unmoving body. Her body jolted slightly, suddenly she felt sick to her stomach. She jumped from her position on the bed, and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut, and locking the door. Unwilling to let Brooke see her like that. She then began to heave the contents in her stomach, into the unsuspecting toilet in front of her. After a few minutes, she leaned her head backwards, her throat burning, tears streaming down her face.

"Peyton, are you okay, please, talk to me," Brooke pleaded, having heard the painful sounds of Peyton throwing up.

Peyton took a slow deep breath, trying to calm her stomach enough to talk to Brooke. "Please, go to the hospital. Go see Luke, you haven't had a chance yet. Call me when your done, and I'll come back."

Brooke shook her head at first, before realizing that Peyton couldn't see her protests. She decided that Peyton wouldn't give up till she went, she would only go for an hour at the most.

"Okay, I won't be long, I promise," Brooke said, and with that she was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

_**As I stood in the center of the court, and the graffiti fell from the ceiling, I felt I had helped achieved something that would be remembered for years to come. We're were, together, the Tree Hill Ravens, North Carolina State Basketball Champions. I knew I would wear that title with pride, even if I couldn't play college ball. I still had the pride of knowing that I was on one of the greatest high school basketball teams. I did wish, and still do, that my Uncle Keith could have seen it. He would have been so proud of me and Nate, and that in itself, made me proud. **_

_**The one thing I remember very vividly, was Brooke stepping aside. Her putting aside her hurt, to help show me the one person I belong with. She pointed me in the direction of Peyton Sawyer. Remembering back to the day that I played Nathan on the river court, I saw that we both had been trying to hide our feelings. Trying to make it seem like we were just friends, when I think everyone around us knew better. **_

_**In that moment, seeing the smile cross her perfect lips. Her hands cupped in front of her face, as she looked up at the falling graffiti. I knew in that moment, that I would always love Peyton Sawyer.**_

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Brooke sat in the empty chair beside Lucas's bed. Her eyes puffy and red, as newly formed tears fell silently. She knew she had to help her two best friends find their way back to each other. She just didn't know what to say, or what she could possibly say, to pull Lucas back to them. She stood slightly, pulling the chair a little closer before grabbing one of his hands into one of hers.

She sighed lightly, trying to form some sort of coherent sentences in her head before trying to talk to Lucas.

"Luke, I know your in there and I have to think that you can hear me. It's killing us, all of us, to see you like this. You've always been so strong and right now you just...you look so weak, so helpless..." Brooke trailed off, trying to sniff back the newly formed tears in her eyes before continuing.

"You've been a great friend to me Luke and I know that we haven't always seen eye to eye. I know we've had our tough times and our past is very deep, but she needs you. God Lucas, she needs you more than you can know. She is a mess right now, and I'm just. Dammit Lucas, I'm afraid to leave her alone. I am really afraid that she is going to do something stupid. Your the only one that can keep her straight; the only one that truly makes her happy. She needs you to wake up Lucas, we all do."

With that Brooke placed a very gentle kiss on Lucas's hand, and one on his forehead before standing up. She sighed and said a silent goodbye before walking out the door, gently closing it behind her.

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Peyton sat there with her knees pulled up to her chest, and her arms locked firmly around them. The small white device sitting beside her was speaking a truth that even she wasn't sure she was ready for. She had known something wasn't quite right with her for a little while, but even still, her first thought wasn't this.

Her eyes wondered from the small device, back to the wall in front of her. Hoping each time she looked, that the answer that it was giving her would change. Not that she wasn't happy about it, but with Lucas clinging onto life, this was just not the best time for something like this.

She violently wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes, as she picked up the small device and chucked it against the wall. Peyton let her head fall against her knees, and her body shook from the violent sobs that seeped out.

Peyton only lifted her head when she heard the door to her hotel room squeak open. Her puffy, blood-shot eyes looked into Brooke's equally puffy red eyes. It was almost like in the look that Peyton was confessing what she had just learned to be true. Only Brooke wasn't picking up the information, which Peyton knew meant that she was going to have to say the words.

"Are you feeling better?" Brooke asked, looking at Peyton's slightly pale looking face. She felt her heart break for her friend.

"I'm pregnant," Peyton said in a whisper.

Brooke knew she had heard correctly, even if it was a whisper that was lower than the wind. She knew those words a little too well herself, from her obvious pregnancy scares with Lucas.

"Oh my god," Brooke said, her hand flying over her mouth as she watched the dams behind Peyton's eyes break and the tears flood down her face.

"I...can't...do...this...alone," Peyton said the words in small spurts when the sobs had subsided enough to let her form at least a word.

"You won't do it alone. Luke's gonna pull through this, he's tough. He just, he needs your support. He needs to know your there for him," Brooke stopped as she sat down in front of Peyton, so she could look her in the eye.

"You have to go see him, you have to tell him," Brooke said.

"Brooke, he's unconscious," Peyton said as the sobs had slowed down more.

"I guarantee you that if you tell him that, he'll come to, he'll have to. That boy wants a family of his own, more than he wants to be a best-selling author. And Peyton...he wants that family with you. You really should read the end of that thing," Brooke said, pointing to the novel on the small dresser in the hotel room.

Peyton shook her head in acknowledgment as she let Brooke help her up.

"I'll take you to him," Brooke said, more so she could actually see her go in.

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**At the hospital**

Peyton took the empty seat beside his bed. She pushed it closer to him, needing to feel as close to him as possible. She grabbed his hand, placing a small kiss on it, before cradling it in both of her hands. She felt the warm tears slid down her cheeks, as she opened her mouth to begin her news.

"Lucas, I love you so much, and I need you so bad right now. I need you to open those deep blue eyes of yours and flash that sexy grin of yours. I need to know your going to get through this, that we're going to get through this because..." Peyton trailed off, the words stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

"Because...I'm pregnant Luke. We're going to be parents, and I just...I cannot do it alone. This baby, our baby, needs you, needs it's father. Lucas, we need you to wake up, to pull through this, so we can be a family together. Please Lucas," The last few words choked their way out as Peyton found herself sobbing again. She laid her head on the bed next to his arm, placing his arm around her, needing to feel him close to her.

Brooke stood in the doorway, looking at what would be Tree Hill's second happiest family, alongside Nathan and Haley of course. She felt her heart jump up into her throat as her eyes came in contact with those familiar deep blue eyes.

"Luke," Brooke choked out as he stared back at her.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm thinking one more chapter will tie this one up...I could however be persuaded to write a sequel...it would depend on how many people wanted one, and how many reviews I got for this and the last chapter though.**

Chapter Four

Peyton raised her head, swearing she heard someone say something. She looked at Lucas, whose pale blue eyes were looking back at her. Her heart nearly jumped into her throat, her prayer had been answered. The man she loved had come back to her. She smiled softly at him, stroking his sandy blond hair out of his face. She snuggled her face down beside his, softly kissing his cheek, and quietly thanking god for bringing him back to her.

"God, Luke, you had us all worried, and scared to death. The doctors were saying you might not wake up," Peyton said, as tears of happiness fell from her eyes.

"You think you can get rid of me that easy?" Lucas asked, his voice raspy, and barely audible.

Peyton smiled softly, "Of course that would be the first thing out of your mouth."

"How long?" Lucas asked, trying not to talk in full sentences, figuring he could ask more questions if he saved his voice.

"A few days is all," Peyton said, before kissing his forehead.

"What happened?" was his next question.

He remembered that he had taken a drive to clear his mind. He had been fighting with himself on whether or not he should fly out to see Peyton or not. Everything after that was a bit cloudy.

"Car accident...you were driving, the roads were wet..you didn't know the temperature had dropped. You tried to slow down to take a curve, your car started to slide before it flipped twice, landing on it's hood. You had to be cut from the car Luke," Peyton said, her hand in his, as he rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand soothingly.

"Oh," Lucas said, trying to take in all that she had said.

"Lucas, I need you to know I'm here for you..." Peyton trailed off, wanting to tell him...to really tell him about the baby, but felt it not the right time.

"Peyt, I know your here for me. Just like I'm here for you...I love you Peyton Sawyer," Lucas flashed her a smile, before giving her hand a squeeze.

Peyton sighed feeling her world brighten around her. The only person in the whole world that could brighten her life, and make her happy was now awake and flattering her. She felt at peace with life again, like everything wasn't falling down around her.

"Peyt, where's your head at?" Lucas asked, seeing the questions in her eyes.

"It's just, I have something...I need to..." Peyton let her sentence trail off, as Karen walked into the room. Now definitely wasn't the time to tell Lucas he was going to be a father.

"Lucas, honey your awake," Karen cooed at Lucas, before hugging him tightly.

She had never really given up on Lucas, she had a feeling that he would return to them. She knew he was a fighter and that he wouldn't give up that easily. She had only taken half of what the doctor's had said to heart, she knew that nothing would be permanent with her son. Especially with Peyton Sawyer around.

"I won't be for long mom, not if you don't let go," Lucas stressed the last part, trying to get him mom to loosen her grip around his neck.

"Oh, I'm sorry honey," Karen said, kissing his cheek, before sitting down in the chair that Peyton had vacated.

"I'll come back a little later," Peyton said, before blowing Lucas a goodbye kiss, and waving at Karen.

"She loves you, you know," Karen smiled softly at Lucas, seeing his blue eyes glisten at the sound of her words.

"I love her too mom. It's always gonna be me and her, it's just...fate," Lucas said, looking deep in thought.

"Fate huh...I guess I didn't think of it that way," Karen smiled softly.

"Yeah fate, kind of like..." Lucas started but immediately cut himself off, knowing the words he was about to say would have hurt his mom.

"Kind of like me and Keith...that's what you were going to say isn't?" Karen asked, knowing her son all too well.

"Yeah, I mean...god mom. You and Keith were like this love story, without the love part for a while. Then when you did have it, it was great, and everyone could see the happiness in both your eyes, and dammit it's not fair that he got taken from us. Dan is an asshole, and I hate him, I really do. To me, he isn't my father. Just because he's biologically my father, doesn't mean he's my father. Keith is my father, and always will be. Dan just...Dan will be the murdering son of a bitch that stole Keith from us, and for that mom...I will always hate Dan Scott," Lucas said, realizing he had gotten completely off subject, and noticed that Karen had tears in her eyes.

"Oh god mom, I'm sorry, please don't cry," Lucas begged, his eyes becoming tear-filled as well.

"It's not that Lucas, it's just. It's sweet that you want to model your relationship with Peyton, after me and Keith," Karen smiled at Lucas.

She had the same feelings toward Dan as Lucas did. She hated him, and wanted him to rot in that jail cell until he died. Dan had never once been a fatherly figure for Lucas, and now because of him, Lily wouldn't have a father to look after her either.

"I do, I mean Keith's love for you mom...it was like something out of a fairy tale, and I want Peyton to feel loved. Like there is no one she'd rather be with, I want her to be...happy" Lucas smiled, realizing that he wanted to one day marry Peyton Sawyer.

"Okay, well why don't I go get the future Ms. Scott for you so you can tell her what you told me," Karen said, standing up from her chair, kissing Lucas's forehead, before taking off to go get Peyton.

Peyton walked down the small corridor toward Lucas's room. Karen had told her that Lucas had something to tell her. That had scared her at first, afraid that his near-death experience would make him realize that he didn't want to be with her anymore. She grasped the wall beside her, feeling slightly dizzy at the thought that she might lose Lucas, especially considering that she was carrying his child. She reached his door faster than she had intended. She stood there for a little bit, contemplating on whether she should actually go in and deal with what she was sure to be the last time she would talk to Lucas. She bit her lip and sighed heavily before continuing on, and entering his room. His eyes were locked on the window, staring at the outside world, no doubt wanting to be out there than in here.

"Hey Luke," Peyton said softly, slowly making her way to the empty chair beside Lucas's bed.

"Hey Peyt," Lucas said, a soft smile playing across his lips.

Just seeing her, brightened up his world, his life. He could never picture his life without her, and he didn't want to. He wanted Peyton Sawyer in his life forever, for the rest of time, and he was bound and determined to make that happen.

"Your mom said you wanted to talk to me," Peyton said, as she started to attack her bottom lip furiously.

"Yeah, it's kind of important," Lucas said, grasping her hand in his.

"Lucas, let me just say something first," Peyton said, her eyes refusing to meet his.

"What is it Peyton?" Lucas asked, concern written on his features.

"It's just...if your gonna break-up with me..I just I want you to just come out and do it," Peyton said, a lone tear falling down her cheek.

"Break-up with you? What on earth would make you think I'd break-up with you?" Lucas asked, an amused smile on his lips.

"Ummm...I just assumed," Peyton stopped mid-sentence noticing the smile on Lucas's face.

"I'm not breaking up with you. In fact, it's just the opposite of that. I just, I wanted to tell you that I love you, and that sometime in the near future...that I'll want to marry you. You mean the world to me Peyton, and I would never risk losing that, not for anything in the world," Lucas said, his thumb caressing her cheek gently.

"Well...if we're in the telling mood...I have something that I need to tell you," Peyton said, not quite sure how he will take the news, but was feeling a little more confident after his little speech.

"What's that?" Lucas asked, slightly amused at her nervousness.

"I'm pregnant," Peyton said, as she bit her bottom lip, and watched Lucas's eyes widen double their normal amount.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, so this is the last chapter. I have decided to write a sequel, it just might be a little while before I get the first chapter done. I have a few other fics that I want to write, and I have to work out the plot for the sequel, but I am planing on writing a sequel.**

Chapter Five

**Two Weeks Later**

"You're recovering nicely Mr. Scott. You'll be able to go home in a little while. I'll just go draw up the release papers. Do you have a ride home?" Doctor Langley asked.

"Yeah, my girlfriend is on her way over now," Lucas spoke softly, knowing that they'd have to talk about the bombshell she had dropped only two weeks earlier.

Lucas knew that he was acting childish, and he also knew that he was probably hurting her. He just wasn't sure how he wanted to react to this. Did he want kids? Yes of course he did, but was he ready for them? He wasn't sure, but he couldn't deny the fact that ready or not he was going to be a father.

He sat himself up, craning his neck to see who was about to walk into the room.

"Hey you," Peyton smiled sweetly at him.

Trying to hide the hurt in her eyes. He hadn't reacted well to finding out that he was going to be a father. Well if she was honest with herself, he hadn't reacted at all. He had shook his head, as if to acknowledge that he heard her, but that was it. He hadn't so much as mentioned it at all in the past two weeks, and she was worried that he might not be okay with the fact that he was going to be a father.

"Hey to you too," Lucas smiled back at her, happy enough to see a smile on her face.

He knew he hadn't made these past two weeks easy on her, and it wasn't the fact that he didn't love her it was just more the fact that he wasn't sure he was ready to raise a child. They weren't even married yet, not that Lucas hadn't planned on marrying her, just more of the fact that he wasn't ready to rush into all of it.

"Luke, we need to talk," Peyton blurted out, as she bit her bottom lip.

"I know we do, but I have something I need to tell you," Lucas said, as he grabbed out for her hand.

Peyton hadn't noticed that she pulled her hand away from his. Lucas's blue eyes bore holes into her green ones. She hadn't meant to pull away from him, but either way she couldn't go back and change the fact that she did now.

"They're releasing me today," Lucas said finally, his voice melancholy, heavy knowing that she was hurting and he was the cause of it.

"Luke that's great news," Peyton said, trying to express that she was indeed happy about it.

"Look, I hurt you and I know I did, and knowing that it's hurting me. I never meant to hurt you Peyton, I swear I didn't," Lucas said, tears building up in his eyes.

"I know you didn't Luke, and I shouldn't have just blurted it out the way I did. This is just as much my fault as it is yours, and it shouldn't hurt me, but it does. I guess, I'm just afraid that you'll leave me because of it," Peyton finally admitted her fears out loud.

"You honestly think that?" Lucas asked, the tears and pain in his eyes giving away to what appeared to be borderline anger.

"It's just, god Luke. I know you're not ready for this, because I'm not. That doesn't change the fact that it's happening whether we're ready or not, and I just thought that it would be an easy out for you," she said, while she stared a hole in the floor.

"Look at me," Lucas demanded, slight anger in his tone.

Peyton slowly lifted her head from it's downward position, and looked him in the eye.

"I would never leave you because of this. Now, I'm not gonna lie to you and tell you that everything is gonna be fine, because quite frankly I'm not sure it is. What I can tell you is this. It's going to be hard, and it's going to be tough, and we are going to have to fight like hell to keep it alive, but that is something that I'm willing to do. Why? Because I'm so in love with you, that nothing like this could scare me away. I was going to wait a little while to ask you this, but given the circumstances..." Lucas trailed off as he fished through the nightstand drawer beside his bed.

He turned around with a small black box in his hand, with a small beautiful ring inside. Peyton felt tears welling up in her eyes, and felt as they slowly cascaded down her face. She didn't need a marriage proposal, she just needed to know he'd be there.

"Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, will you do me the greatest honor...Will you marry me?" Lucas asked, his blue eyes glistening with tears.

Peyton opened her mouth to say something, but no words would come out. She couldn't say no, but was she really ready to get married. Lucas waited a minute longer, before his palms started to sweat from Peyton's lack of words.

"Can you say something? Please?" Lucas practically begged her, his eyes wide.

"Yes, I'll marry you," Peyton smiled at him, as he slipped the small ring onto her finger.

"It was my mother's ring," Lucas pointed out, noticing a new batch of tears in Peyton's eyes.

"I love you so much Lucas Scott," Peyton said, as she pressed her lips to his.

"I love you too," He said, as she rested her head on his shoulder.


End file.
